Nesting table



H. l. COHEN NESTING TABLE March v27, 1956 Filed Nov. 18, 1954 EYSIUnited States Patent Off NESTING TABLE Henry I. Cohen, New York, N. Y.

Application November 18, 1954, Serial No. 469,866

3 Claims. (Cl. S11-16.5)

(Granted under Title 3S, U. S. Code (1952), sec. 266) The inventiondescribed herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Governmentof the United States of America for governmental purposes without thepay ment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

This invention concerns nesting tables.

An object of the invention is to provide a nesting type table whichcollapses into a small compact area when not m use.

A further object of the invention is to provide support for a table topwhich is stronger and yet more readily collapsible than in prior typesof nesting tables.

Still a further object of this invention is to provide a nesting typetable utilizing a structure which is foldable upon application of upwardpressure only, and which, when in support position for the table, maynot be collapsed by the application of downward pressure on the tabletop. j

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this inventionwill be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood byreference to the following detailed description when considered inconnection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a nesting table, or the like, embodying myinvention.

Fig. 2 is a front View of a nesting table embodying my invention.

In Fig. l, the numeral 1 denotes the table top which is aiiixed to atable top support 2 which is joined to a cabinet 1S by a pivot 9. Thetable top 1 is adjustable in elevation by the elevator and clamparrangement 3, which may be of any type known in the art, and which isnot of essence in this invention. Aiiixed to the underportion of thetable top supporting member 2, is a pivot juncture 1i) to which isattached arm 4; the other end of arm 4 is pivotally affixed to themember which, in support position, rests upon the same surface as thecabinet 15. The member 5 is of straight beam configuration for aboutthree quarters of its length; it then bends at a very slight angle withits former position to continue for the remaining quarter of its lengthas a straight beam. Pivot juncture 11 is a common junction point forarms 4, 5 and 7. Arms 4 and 7 form a knee joint, at the pivot point 11,,which breaks downward. Arm 7 and the upper quarter of arm 5 form theadjacent sides of a parallelogram composed in its entirety of arms 5, 6,7, and the vertical side portion of the cabinet 15. The other end of arm7 is attached by pivot 14 to the cabinet 15. The arm 6 is joined at oneend by pivot 13 to the cabinet 15 and at its other end by pivot 12 tothe upper quarter of arm 5. The battle stop 8 acts to seat the table top1 in position when folded in the cabinet; it prevents injury to theelevator and clamp arrangement 3 which would result if the tabletop wereto strike the back of the cabinet. Baflle stop 8 is hinged; it is hookedin the position shown.

The operation of the nesting table is as follows:

In its vertical position, the arm 5 acts to support the table topdirectly through the arms 4 and 2; Figs. 1 and 2 2,739,859 Patented Mar.27, 195.6

indicating this supported position. To nest the table, how ever,pressure must be applied in an upward direction t0 any of the arms 4, 6or 7, or at the pivot points 11 or 12. The application of any downwardpressure at any of the pivot points by the ordinary use of the table top1 will not of arm S in vertical position without slippage of any kind.

Upon the application of an upward force (which is usually manuallyapplied) to either the pivot point 11 or 12 the arms 6 and 7 will movein an upward arcuate direction toward the cabinet 15, as will the arm 5;the arm 4 moving toward the table top in an upward arcuate directionabout its pivot point 10 and the arm 5 moving toward the cabinet 15 inan upward arcuate direction about the pivot points 13 and 14. 'Ihe arm 5is supported by the arms 6 and 7 in this upward movement; the functionof the arm 7 being primarily to position the arm 5, and the function ofthe arm 6 being primarily to hold `the arm 5 in position for table topsupport. As the arms 4, 5, 6.and

7 are moved into their folded positions, the table top 1 and thetabletop support 2 move arcuatelyk downward to nest in vertical positionin the cabinet 15 when the under portion of the table top 1 comes torest against the stop 8.

The nested table thus presents a compact cabinet structure which may,agairnbe opened to operative position by i moving the table top 1 inarcuate direction upwards and outwards away from the vertical area ofthe cabinet 15.

This movement acts to extend the arms 6 and 7 away: from the cabinet 15,thus extending arms 4 and 5 intoV their support positions, as shown inthe figures.

Obviously many moditications and variations of the present invention arepossible in the light of the above teachings. It is therefore to'beunderstood that within thev scope of the appended claims the inventionmay be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

I claim: l. A nesting table comprising, a support, a table toppendulously attached to the top of said support for movement about ahorizontal axis, means pivotally attached to the lower half of saidisupport and forming with the portion of said support to which it isattached an articulated parallelogram, said means being swingablevertically relative to said support, support means integral with andextending vertically downward from the side of said articulatedparallelogram opposite said support, said support means being of suchlength that when its free end is supported at the same level as thebottom of said support said first-mentioned means slopes upwardly fromsaid support, an arm pivotally attached at one end to said table topremote from it-s pivotal attachment to said support and pivotallyattached at its other end to said parallelogram along the side thereofremote from said support, whereby it defines an upwardly opening obtuseangle with the slope of said parallelogram when said end of said supportmeans is supported at the same level as the bottom of said support.

2. A nesting table comprising, a support adapted to rest on a iioor, afirst pivot secured to the top of said support and dening a firsthorizontal axis, a second pivot and a third pivot secured to the lowerhalf of said support and defining a second horizontal axis and a thirdhorizontal axis, respectively, both of which are parallel to the firsthorizontal axis, the third horizontal axis being closer to the bottom ofsaid support, a table top pendulously attached to said first pivot, arst arm attached at one end thereof to said second pivot, a second armof equal length to said iirst arm secured at one end thereof to saidthird pivot, a supporting member, one end of said supporting hierberbeing piiotally' attached to the other end of said rst arm,` the otherend of saidy second arm being pivotally attached to said supportingmember intermediate the ends thereof, whereby said first and secondarmsare in parallel relationship at aillv pivotal positions thereof, andthe por'- tio'n of said supporting member betweenitspivotaljattachnientA fo said secor'id arrii arid the other endthereof is vrtic`a-l for all pivotal positions of said arti-is, the'length of the last-mentioned portion of said supporting member' being'greater than the height of said third pivot above= the bottoni of said?support, a thirdarm pivotally att-achedl at one end thereof to saidtable top remote from said first pivdtand pivotaliy attachedk at theother end thereof to` said other' end of said second ar'n, the length ofsaid third arihbeing such that it deiines an obtuse angle with saids'ecciiid-` arr'n when said other end of said supporting member is atthe saine level as the botto'm of said support, whereby the pivotalattachment between saidl second arm, said thirdari,` and said supportingmember needY only be raised slightly to' pass through straight linerelationship with said third pivot and the pivotal attachment betweensaid third arh and saidtable top topermit said table top to droppeiidul'ously to substantialiy vertical position and whereby said tabletop'is returned Ato substantially horizon# tal position by swinging saidtable top far enough about saidL hist pivotv to permit the' freel end ofsaid supporting rr'ie'rber to drop t'o the' same level as the' bottom ofsaid supportv to be" supported thereat for retaining said table top iiia' substantially Horizontal position.

3. A nesting table comprising, a support adapted to rest on a iloo'r, atirs't pivotA secured to* thel top of said support andi defining a irsthorizontal axis, a second pivot and a third pivot secured to the lowerhalf of said support and defining' a" second horizontal axis andy athird horizontal axis, respectively, `both of `which are parallel tothe' rst horizontal axis', the third horizontal axis being closer tothe`r bottomlk of saidvsi'ip'po'rt and lying in a' vertical plane thatis between. said first pivotand. said second pivot, a ta'- ble"v toppendulous'l'y. attached toi said'rst pivot, a first' arm ansehe@ at'diie eiidf nierefte saidsecendpivt, a second a' of equal length' to saidfirst arm secured at one end thereof tos'aid thirdpivotga supporting.member having a rst arm portion and a second arm portion in xedre1ationshipy and defining an obtuse angle therebetween, the' free endof the rst arm portion being pivotally attached to the other end of-said first arm, that portion of the supporting member at the apex ofthe obtuse angle being piv otally attached to the other end of saidsecond arm, said first arm portion being of such length that said firstand second arms are in parallel relationship for all pivotal positionsthereof, the obtuse an'gl beiiig such that said second arm portion isvertical for all positions of said supporting member, said second a'inportion being of such length as to support said other ends of saidfirstl andy second arms higher than said one end thereof when the freeend thereof is supported' at the saine horizontal level as the bottom ofsaid support',- aj third arm pivotally attached at one end thereof tosaid table top remote from said first pivot and pivotally attached atthe other end thereof to said other end of said second arm to define anobtuse angle therewith when the free end ofsaidsecond arm portion issupportedY at the same horizontal level as the bottom of saidI supportand whereby the pivotal attachment between said second army said thirdlarm, yand said supporting member need only be raised slightly throughstraight line relationship with said third pivot andthe pivotedattachment-between said third armand said table top to permit said tabletop to drop pendulously to substantially vertical position and wherebysaid table top is returned to substantiallyhorizontal position byswinging said table top farV enough about said first pivot to permit thefree end of said second arm portion to' drop to `the saine level asthe'bottom of said support.

Rfereirees Citaiiiin'ie sie oi this' pat-ern U'T STATES iiAT'NTS

